Author Archives: Johanna

Global Access to Cancer Research and Treatment

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Bob Li, MD, PhD, MPH

Bob Li, MD, PhD, MPH. Photo by Richard DeWitt.

A Forbes profile of MSK’s Dr. Bob Li chronicles his path from China to Australia to the United States. At MSK, he works as a Thoracic Oncologist and the Physician Ambassador to China and Asia-Pacific, Bobst International Center.

In the article, Dr. Li emphasizes the need for more global coordination and inclusivity in cancer research and care. As he says, “We’re not going to find the cure for cancer unless we solve this equity question and this access question.”

Dr. Li notes that only 5% of patients globally enroll in clinical trials, which contributes to the “process from discovery in the lab to breakthrough and saving lives in human beings [taking] about 10-plus years.”

Learn more from the Harvard Business Review article co-written by Dr. Li last year, “We Need a Global System for Testing and Approving Cancer Treatments.”

Does Diet Matter?

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Francesca Castro and Dr. Urvi Shah

Francesca Castro (left). Photo by Chad Hunt.
Dr. Urvi Shah (right). Photo by Ethan Kavet.

Americans eat loads of ultra-processed foods, from soda to cold cuts to potato chips. But could these items be contributing to cancer rates?

Perhaps. In an article for VeryWellHealth, MSK Dietitian Nutritionist Francesca Castro notes that ultra-processed diets are generally low in fiber, which is known to protect against many cancers. Still, there are other foods that can increase cancer risk, like red meat.

Castro concludes, “There’s no one food or food group that can cure cancer or reduce cancer risk.” She recommends people look critically at their overall diet and think about whether they could benefit from eating more vegetables, fruits, and fiber.

Want to learn more? Listen to an interview with MSK’s Dr. Urvi Shah on the Healthcare Unfiltered podcast. She discusses the challenges of doing nutrition-related research, along with findings by her and others in the field about diet and cancer risk. Her descriptions of this research begin around 17:30. (Spoiler alert: eat more plant-based foods.)

At the Intersection of Research and Treatment: Interviews with MSK Physician-Researchers

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Dr. Luis Diaz, Jr., left, and Dr. Michael Postow, right.

Dr. Luis Diaz, Jr., left. and Dr. Michael Postow, right. Photos by Rick DeWitt (l) and Chad Hunt (r).

Two MSK physician-researchers were profiled in the media last month.

Fast Company spoke with Dr. Luis Diaz, Jr., Head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology. Dr. Diaz co-led a clinical trial of an immunotherapy for rectal cancer that proved effective without the need for surgery in all 14 participating patients. He aims to expand this research to cancers that are usually treated by extensive, life-altering surgeries, like esophageal, pancreatic, and stomach malignancies.

Becker’s Hospital Review interviewed Dr. Michael Postow, Chief of MSK’s Melanoma Service. Dr. Postow is excited about the growing efficacy of immunotherapies and the progress vaccines are making in cancer care. His research is motivated in part by the awareness that current treatment modalities do not yet help every patient; we have miles to go to improve care for everyone.